Teaching triarchically improves school achievement

Two studies were conducted among 3rd-grade (primary-school) and 8th-grade (middle-school) students to test the efficacy of the triarchic theory of human intelligence as applied to classroom learning and performance. Students at the 3rd-grade level were taught a social-studies unit and at the 8th-grade level were taught a psychology unit in 1 of 3 ways: traditional instruction (primarily memory-based), critical-thinking instruction (primarily analytically based), and triarchically based instruction (involving infusion of analytical, creative, and practical instruction). Performance at both levels was assessed through multiple-choice items measuring primarily memory and performance-based items measuring analytical, creative, and practical aspects of achievement. Third-grade students also provided self-report measures. In general, triarchic instruction was superior to the other modes of instruction, even on multiple-choice memory-based items.